Dust cap for lubeicant-beceivihg nipples



Jan. 3, 1928.

M. F. CARR DUST CAP FOR LUBRICANT RECEIVING NIPPLES Filed Nov. 18, 1924Patented Jan. 3, 1928. i p i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MOSES 1E. CARR, 01 LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNIE ASSIGN-MENTS, TO THE IBASSIGK MANUFACTURING- COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A.CORPORATION OF DELAWARE. i

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DUST CAP FOR LUBRICANT-RECEIVING NIPPLES.

Application filed November 18, 19%. Serial No. 750,589.

This invention aims to provide an imthe cap from the nipple. lVhere, asin the proved dust cap for lubrioant-receiving preferred form of myinvention illustrated, nipples. i the flanges 10 and 11 are spacedapart, pref- I In the drawings,wliieli illustrate a preerably by aflange 16, the enlarged portion ferred embodiment of my invention:- alsoprovides a housing for a spring which 1 Figure 1 is aside elevation of alubricantpreferably, as illustrated, includes a body .receiving nippleshowing the dust cap. so portion 12 fitting the interior of the wallcured thereto; 16 between the flanges 10 and 11, and also 1 Flg. 2 is asection on the line 2-2 of Fig. presenting resilient jaw means, hereinshown lo 1, being partly in elevation; as an intersecting aw 13 adaptedto engage 3 is a section on the line 3-43 of Fig. the neck in the nippleat one side only (Fig. 2, being partly in elevation; and v 3). lVherethe parts are arranged in the Fig.4 is a section corresponding to Fig.2, relative positions shown, this resilient jaw but showing the relativeposition of the portion not only holds the cap on the nipple, parts asthe cap is being passed over the but because it abuts against thethreaded nipple. v portion ofthe nipple, prevents the cap from Referringto the drawings, I have shown being thrust onto the nipple to suchan eX-a lubricant-receiving nipple presenting an tent that the check valve inthe nipple will enlarged central portion 1 having relatively be openedby the closed end 8 of the cap.i

20 steep pitch threads 2 for engagement with The body portion 120 thespring extends a lubricant-expelling device. At one side at least halfthe distance, around the in of the central portion, I have provided areterior of the spring casing (Fig. 3) thereby duced portion 3 threadedfor engagement preventing lateral shifting of the body of with a part tobe lubricated, and at the the spring. The jaw 13 of the spring exotherside of the central portion 1, I have tends from one end of the bodyportion 12 provided a cylindrical portion l for periphinto contact withthe neck of the stud and oral engagement by a sealing element in thethen the free end of the jaw 13 extends be nozzle of alubricant-expelling device. Between the flanges 10 and 11 to preventtranstween the central portion 1 and the cylin verseshifting of thespring jawl-Z during an drical portion 4, I have provided a neck 5,engagement and disengagement of the cap as best illustrated in Fig. 2,this neck 5 with thenipple. The one point contact of preferablycloselyad'jacent the outer end the jaw 13 is important in that itreduces 35 of the threaded portion of the nipple. the friction betweenthe spring jaw means The cap, i for use with a nipple of the and thecylindrical portion 4L- of the nipple so above inent-ioned description,is formed as it passes thereover during engagement from two sheet metalstainpings 6 and Y and disengagement of the cap with the (Fig. 2),which, when secured together, pronipple. vide a body portion 6 having aclosed end 8 The skirt portion 7 of the cap being of for excluding dustand dirt from thelubrigreater diameter than the cylindrical por 4ocant-receiving end of the nipple, which, tion l of the nipple, serves animportant preferably as illustrated, is closed by a check functionduring passage of the cap onto the valve being shown asaball protrudingsoinenipple, in that'it permits, and even induces 5 what frornthe end ofthe nipple. The body inadvertently, such tipping of the cap relaportion6 completely covers the cylindrical tive to the nipple, when the outerface of the portion 4 of the nipple and the open end nipple abutsagainst or comes oppositethe skirt portion 7 completely covers thethreads spring jaw 13, as causes the edge. of the 2 of the enlargedcentral portion 3 of the outer end of thenipple to assume a positionnipple, as shown in Fig. 2. The cap, as illuswhere it can wedge thespring jaw out of trated, presents opposite the neck in thenipnipple-intercepting position, as is best .50 ple an enlarged portionformed by flanges 10 shown in Fig. %l. When the head of the nip and 11of the s'tainpings 6 and 7 respectively. ple, while thus tipped abutsagainst the This enlarged portion constitutes a conshoulder 14, the bodyportion 6, which is yenient finger grip for use in withdrawing betweenthe lingers during the entering op oration. provides a handle or leverfor straightening the cap on the nipple and thereby pressing back thespring a SlllllCiGllb distance so that tl e cap can be advanced untilthe spring jaw 13 engages the neck of the nipple. The foregoingmanipulation is automatic in the sense that it requires no advertentsequence of manipulatory movements on the part of the person applyingthe cap to the nipple, each successive movement following naturally theordinary and obvious application of pressure by the ends of the fingersto the outer face of the flange 10. Even if the initial entering angleis such. that the end of the nipple abuts against the spring a slightpressure will cause the cap to tip to the position shown in Fig. 4. Thefact that the interior of the shoulder 14 (and incidentally of theentire body por tion 6) is of smaller diameter than the interior of theskirt portion 17, is of importance in that this provides a surface (theone opposite the spring jaw 13) which the spring jaw 13 may pressagainst the cylindrical portion of the nipple. The corresponding sideof. the skirt portion 7 is urged toward the adjacent portion of thenipple and may bear thereagainst if the clearance of the cylindricalportion of the nipple in the cylindrical portion 6 of the cap is not soproportionately small as to cause the inner face of the body portion 6first to bear against the adjacent portion 15 of the head of the nipple.

lVithdrawal of the cap from the nipple may be effected by a direct pullagainst the flange portion 12, the spring jaw 13 riding up the slopedshoulder between the neck and the cylindrical portion of the nipple.This withdrawal may be particularly easily effected by a slight turningof the cap on the nipple. During this turning movement, the spring turnswith the cap so that the travel of the spring jaw 13 up the slopedshoulder is relatively gradual as compared with its abrupt movement whenthe cap is withdrawn without turning movement. I have found that themajority of people using the caps instinctively turn the cap somewhatduring withdrawal.

The body portion 12 of the spring exerts resilient pressure against theinner surrounding surface of the casing, so that the spring cannot as awhole shift transversely of the casing when the spring jaw is pressedoutwardly, clearance being provided only at the spring jaw to permitmaximum outward flex ure thereof while the cap is being slipped on y oroff the nipple. The resilient pressure of the body against the casingalso causes the sprlng to turn w1th the cap during turning of the latterwhen the cap is being withdrawn from the nipple.

' In assembly, the flange 16 extending from theflange 1.1 of the skirtportion 7 tits into the cylindrical flange portion 17 extending from theliango 10 of the body portion (3 and a portion of the llangc 17 iscrimpcd or rolled over the flange ll to secure the skirt 7 and body (3together, thereby forming the casing for the spring as best illustratedin Fig.

lVhile I have shown and described a prefcrrcd embodiment of myinvention, it will be understood that 1 have done so for purposes ofclaril'ication and not for limitation, my invention being best dclincdin the following claims.

1. A dust cap for a luln'icant-rccciving nipple comprising, incombination, a body portion, an open end skirt portion, an enlargedportion. between said. body portion and said skirt portion and a springcontained in said enlarged portion, said spring presenting jaw means forengagement with the nipple at one side only.

2. A dust cap for a lubricant-rcceiving nipple comprising, .incon'ibination, a body portion, an open end skirt portion. an enlargedportion between said body portion and said skirt portion, a springcontained in said cnlarged portion, said spring including a body portionextending at least half the distance around and against the innercircumference of the enlarged portion to prevent lateral shifting of thespring, and a resilient jaw extending from one end of said body portionof the spring for engagement with the nipple at one side only.

3. A dust cap for a lubricant-reccivii1g nipple comprising, incombination, a body portion, an open end skirt portion, an enlargcdportion between said body portion and said skirt portion, a springcontained in said enlarged portion, said spring including a body portionextending at least half the distance around and against the inner circumfcrence of the enlarged portion to prevent lateral shifting of thespring, and a resilient: jaw extending from one end of said body portionof the spring, said jaw having its free end located, between the bodyportion and the skirt portion of the cap to prevent movement of the jawin :1 direction parallel with the axis of the cap wllcn cngaging anddisengaging the nipplc.

4.1L dust 'ap for a lubricant-rccciring nipple comprising. incombination, a casing. a spring jaw intersecting one side of thenipple-receiving aperture in said casing, said 'asing providing oppositesaid spring jaw a clearance sullicicnt to permit entrance of the head ofthe nipple past said spring without substantial shifting of said springjaw, while providing beyond said spring a lesser clearance insuringsubstantial lateral shifting of said spring by the head of said nipplesaid cap passes further onto the nipple. whereby to provide substantialcapllill retaining pressure of said spring on the nip ple when the twoare fully engaged.

5. A. dust cap for a lubricant-receiving nipple comprising, incombination, a pressed metal cap containing a spring aw located at oneside of the cap for engagement with the nipple, said cap providingopposite said spring sniiicient clearance to permit initial passage ofthe head of the nipple past said spring when said cap is angled relativeto said nipple without substantial flexing of said spring jaw, andbeyond said spring an abutment provided hy'said cap beyond said springfor enforcing straightening movement of said cap relative to said nippleas the cap is advanced further onto the nipple, said spring jaw yieldinglaterally during such straightening movement of the cap.

6. A dust cap for lubricant-receiving nipple comprising, in combination,a casing presenting a nipple-receiving aperture, a

spring aw intersecting one side of said aperture. an open end skirtportion at one side of the spring of a diameter suflicient to permit thehead of the nipple to be entered past said spring jaw Without shiftingthereof when said casing is angled relative to the nipple, and anenlarged finger portion and body portion of said casing for enforcingstraightening movement of said casing as it is advanced further onto thenipple for en gageinent of the spring jaw with the neck on the nipple.

7. A dust cap for engagement with a inbricant receiving nipple havingtwo Work engaging portions of different diameters, said cap comprising ahollow casing containing a spring presenting a spring jaw pprtionintersecting the passage into said casing for resiliently holding saidcap on the nip ple, said cap having two interior portions of differentdiameters corresponding to the said diameters of said nipple spacedapart by said spring jaw portion, said interior portions of said capbeing resilientlynnrged by said jaw into bearing engagementwith the saidportions of said nipple.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

MOSES F. CARE.

